Nature & Wildlife

The hummingbird (Hemaris), is a frequent visitor in flower gardens. To the untrained eye, these insects are often mistakenly identified as hummingbirds (Trochilidae). This particular hummingbird moth was feeding on the nectar of the annual phlox plants (Polemoniaceae), in the gardens during September. A hummingbird moth drinking the nectar from pink phlox (Polemoniaceae) with its […]

For a couple of years now, we have had a groundhog take up residence under the shed in the backyard during the late spring and summer. This year would be quite different. One day, the groundhog was coming through the backyard from the front, but she wasn’t alone. She had babies with her and they […]

The following photographs are a collection of butterfly photographs that I took when I lived in Connecticut and a few I had taken here in Maine. In Connecticut, we had a few beautiful butterfly bushes (Buddleja) in the garden and these bushes would always attract a good amount of butterflies every year. It is much […]

As the largest of the horse breeds, draft horses were bred for completing difficult tasks, such as plowing and other farm labor. Draft horses are tall, muscular and heavy-boned. There are several breeds with an array of characteristics, but all of these horses share a common trait as being gentle giants. These horses are not […]

During our short stay in Florida, we had all sorts of critters come to visit the backyard. There were many species of wild birds as well as eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus). On a more interesting note, we spotted several species of snakes, the most fascinating being the black racer (Coluber constrictor priapus) and a couple […]

While we were living in Florida, this gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) lived in one of the empty lots across the street. It would come over to our side of the street and eat the grass. As long as it lives in the lot across the street, it won’t be able to be built on. In […]